Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Leonardtown, Maryland 20650
Saturday, May 28, 1994 8:25 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED WHILE MAKING SEVERAL LOW LEVEL CIRCULAR PASSES OVER A RESIDENCE 'THE ENGINE LOST POWER-RPM DROP TO MAYBE 1200...ENGINE POWER CUT IN/OUT A FEW TIMES - A LITTLE VIBRATION TOO.' THE PILOT ADJUSTED THE THROTTLE AND MIXTURE BUT COULD NOT MAKE THE ENGINE REGAIN POWER. HE DITCHED IN A POND LOCATED BEHIND THE RESIDENCE. THE PILOT EXITED THE AIRPLANE AS THE AIRPLANE SANK. THE AIRPLANE WAS RECOVERED FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE POND. A POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION DID NOT REVEAL ANY AIRFRAME OR ENGINE ANOMALIES. THE AIRPLANE HAD APPROXIMATELY SIX GALLONS OF FUEL IN EACH WING TANK. THE CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL WAS IN THE OFF POSITION. THE THROTTLE WAS 1/3 OPEN WITH THE MIXTURE FULL RICH. CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR CARBURETOR ICING EXISTED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO CARBURETOR ICE. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE PRESENCE OF CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/28/1994
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 825
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City LEONARDTOWN
Event State MARYLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 20650
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 755 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 80
Weather Observation Facility ID NHK
Elevation of weather observation facility 40
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 1
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1684
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 28 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:11AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5964J
NTSB Number BFO94FA082
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model A150L
Aircraft Series Identifier A150L
Aircraft Serial Number A1500264
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection May 5 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 15
Airframe Hours 5389
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STEVEN J. BILDMAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 40
Aircraft Owner City HOLLYWOOD
Aircraft Owner State MD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 20636
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name STEVEN J. BILDMAN
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P. O. BOX 40
Operator City HOLLYWOOD
Operator State MD
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 20636
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 2W6
Departure City
Departure State MD
Departure Country
Departure Time 805
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --